Book reviews, from classic to modern

Soundtrack for “The Great Gatsby”

Although the movie The Great Gatsby has its own soundtrack, I’ve listed some songs that I think represent the themes and characters of the book well:

1. Animal—Maroon 5

This song perfectly represents the way Gatsby perceives Daisy. He’s so eager to be with her that he becomes her own creepy stalker.

Yeah you can start over you can run freeYou can find other fish in the seaYou can pretend it’s meant to beBut you can’t stay away from me

2. Green Light — Lorde

This needs no explanation.

Give me the green light, oh yeah‘Cause I’m ready to goLet’s have a good time, let’s go

3. Sk8ter Boi — Avril Lavigne

Daisy and Gatsby both loved each other when they were young, and they could have had that life together if Daisy had waited for him instead of moving on to Tom. Later on when she meets Gatsby again, she regrets that decision, just like in Avril Lavigne’s classic song.

He was a skater boyShe said see you later boyHe wasn’t good enough for her

4. 24k Magic — Bruno Mars

This song captures the glamorous and ostentatious life that Gatsby leads; the lavish parties and elegant displays is what he focuses on to impress Daisy.

Throw your hands up in the skyLet’s set this party off rightPlayers, put yo’ pinky rings up to the moonGirls, what y’all trying to do?Twenty four karat magic in the air

5. Hit and Run — Lana del Rey

Again, this one is fairly obvious in its relation to the novel.

Hit it and run.Let’s hit it and run.

6. I Don’t Wanna Live Forever — ZAYN & Taylor Swift

The toxic relationship that is so tempting to Daisy, but she knows it’s wrong.

I’m sitting eyes wide open and I got one thing stuck in my mindWondering if I dodged a bullet or just lost the love of my life, oh

7. Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You — Frankie Valli

This is for the omniscient eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleburg that see everything.

Can’t take my eyes off you

Pardon the way that I stare

8. Boulevard of Broken Dreams — Green Day

I think that this aptly song captures the idea of the emptiness and loneliness in Gatsby’s life.

I walk a lonely roadThe only one that I have ever knownDon’t know where it goesBut it’s only me, and I walk alone

9. Bad Blood — Taylor Swift

The tense and hostile relationship between Gatsby and Tom.

Now we’ve got problemsAnd I don’t think we can solve ’emYou made a really deep cutAnd baby, now we’ve got bad blood, hey!

10. Secrets — OneRepublic

Nick is keeping everyone’s secrets, when all he wants it to just be honest and leave behind the drama that’s been thrust upon him.

I need another storySomething to get off my chestMy life gets kinda boringNeed something that I can confess